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With each passing decade, it’s natural to compare your current self to your younger self. In your younger years, you had the energy and stamina to run miles, lift heavy weights, and juggle
different sports. Somewhere along the way, life got busier and real, and you may not be as physically fit as you used to. If you need help getting back on the fitness bandwagon, we chatted
with MICHELE CANON, certified personal trainer and XPRO for STRIDE Fitness, who shares the ultimate slim-down workout you need at 50 to get your body back to 40. “Looking for a lean, defined
body at 50 that will be the envy of any 40-year-old? The key is to build muscle,” Canon explains. “Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to spend excessive hours doing cardio or HIIT
Training. The most effective way to shape your body to look younger is to start with a simple three days per week strength training plan. Cardio then can be layered in the other days of the
week.” Keep reading to learn more about why you should prioritize building muscle to get your body back to 40, along with Canon’s top-recommended workout to help you do it. WHY ADD MUSCLE TO
YOUR FRAME AS YOU AGE? Growing older means dealing with a natural process referred to as “sarcopenia,” which is the loss of lean muscle mass due to aging. Every 10 years, you lose more
muscle mass, and if you don’t incorporate exercises into your routine, that will speed up the process. “Muscle is the organ of longevity and its loss is related to increased risk of falls,
fractures, diabetes, and heart disease. Building strength in your 50s not only keeps you looking young, [but] it will [also] increase your lifespan,” Canon explains. “Adding muscle to your
frame will make you appear leaner and more defined. It will also increase your metabolic rate, which means you will burn more calories at rest. This will ensure that the weight you lose will
stay off. You will also reduce the rate of sarcopenia.” IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO KICKSTART A NEW FITNESS ROUTINE. If you’re a newbie when it comes to working out, Canon recommends training
with a qualified fitness professional. “Start with bodyweight movements like squats, push-ups against a wall, and upper body movements with bands. When you have the correct form and feel
strong enough, you can progress to using dumbbells,” Canon explains. “Strength moves should involve pushing, pulling, hinging, and squatting. Train each body part in splits such as [your]
legs [on] one day, [your] chest and back on another, and [your] shoulders, bicep, and triceps on another. You can add core exercises such as crunches or planks at the end of every workout.”
5 Exercise Habits That Are Wrecking Your Body After 40 DON’T FORGET TO SPRINKLE IN SOME CARDIO, TOO. Between strength sessions, Canon recommends adding in cardio two to three times a week
for about 30 minutes to an hour. Depending on your fitness level, your cardio may consist of hiking, power walking, jogging, or performing a 30-minute high-intensity interval training
session (HIIT). Since HIIT is pretty intense, Canon doesn’t recommend doing it more than two times a week.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e Note that a solid portion of your cardio should be
“moderate and sustained” at a pace you’re able to comfortably speak full sentences, but not engage in a full conversation. “It is slightly uncomfortable but not an all-out effort,” Canon
says. 5 Best Bodyweight Exercises To Increase Your Stamina After 50 PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN OUR SLIM-DOWN WORKOUT YOU NEED AT 50 TO GET YOUR BODY BACK TO 40: DAY ONE: STRENGTH TRAIN YOUR LEGS
(3 ROUNDS, 12 TO 15 REPS EACH) * Hip Thrusts * Squats * Deadlifts * Banded Adductions and Abductions DAY TWO: PERFORM TREADMILL WALKING ON AN INCLINE OF 4% TO 7% FOR 30 MINUTES * 5-minute
warm-up * 2-minute power walk at 4% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute power walk at 5% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute power walk at 6% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute
power walk at 7% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute power walk at 6% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute power walk at 5% * 1-minute power walk at 2% * 2-minute power walk at 4% *
5-minute cool-down DAY THREE: STRENGTH TRAIN YOUR BACK AND CHEST (3 ROUNDS, 12 TO 15 REPS EACH) * Pushups (modify with a bench or on knees) * Band Back Rows * Band Chest Press * Band Lat
Pulls DAY FOUR: REPEAT THE TREADMILL WORKOUT DAY FIVE: WORK ON YOUR SHOULDERS, BICEPS, AND TRICEPS (3 ROUNDS, 12 TO 15 REPS EACH) * Shoulder Presses * Bicep Curl * Tricep Kickbacks * Rear
Delt Fly DAY SIX: PERFORM THIS TREADMILL HIIT WORKOUT FOR 20 MINUTES * 5-minute warm-up * 30-second sprint or steep hike (10% incline or higher) * 1-minute recovery * Repeat for six rounds *
5-minute cool-down Sign up for our newsletter! Alexa Mellardo Alexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating
content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications. Read more about Alexa